Instrument bed for knitting machines



Jan. 31, 1967 F. c. WIESINGER INSTRUMENT BED FOR KNITTING MACHINES FiledNOV. 30, 1964 INVENTOR FREDERICK C. WIESINGERv QMQ W A T TORNE Y UnitedStates Patent 3,301,014 INSTRUMENT BED FUR KNITTING MACHINES FrederickC. Wiesinger, 102 E. Myrtle Ave.,

I Feasterville, Pa. 1%47 Filed Nov. 30, 1964. er. No. 414,642 3 Claims.(Cl. 66-115) This invention pertains to instrument beds for knittingmachines and, more particularly, to beds of the so-called built-up typewhich utilize insert blades to form the channels within which theknitting instrumentalities are supported and guided.

; It is a general object of the invention to provide improved instrumentbeds for knitting machines of the double cylinder type.

It is a further object to provide an instrument bed which utilizesinsertable forecut blades and guiding insert blades or needle guideswhich eliminate the cutting of needle grooves in the solid wall of theneedle bed member itself.

A further object is that of providing forecut blades and cylinder insertblades that can be quickly and easily removed from or replaced in theinstrument bed without disturbing or removing associated parts oradjacent guide members forming opposite guide walls thereto.

A still further object is that of providing an instrument bed having aforecut ring fixedly attached to and in contiguous relation with theneedle cylinder, thereby providing a substantially continuous surface onwhich the knitting instrumentalities are caused to travel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument bed having ahardened surface extending the entire length thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following more detailed disclosure.

Needle cylinders of the type proper for double cylinder knittingmachines having slots or needle and jack guides cut directly into theouter wall of said cylinders very often present conditions of anundesirable nature such, for example, as the cylinder becoming out. ofround during the required hardening operation. Secondly, the forecutrings utilized with such cylinders, because of their configuration,cannot easily be hardened. The combination of these two problems is anobviously undesirable condition, for the forecut area of the needle bedbecomes worn to the extent of required costly repair far sooner than itscooperating needle cylinder.

According to the instant invention, built-up instrument beds can now beprovided for double cylinder knitting machines which are of novelconstruction and have eliminated the undesirable conditions describedabove that exist with such instrument beds of the prior art.

The built-up instrument beds according to the invention utilize insertblades to form guiding channels on the outer periphery of the cylindersfor the knitting instrumentalities. The forecut ring is fixedly attachedto the cylinder and is provided with horizontally disposed and radiallydirected insertable forecut blades in alignment with the blade membersforming the channels in said cylinder. The cylinder and forecut ringbeing fixedly attached one to the other permits these elements to beground to the desired outside diameter and then plated to form a wearresistant surface and a substantially continuous surface for theknitting instrumentalities to ride on.

That portion of the forecut ring aifixed to the cylinder is providedwith a circumferential lip which serves as a novel means of retainingone end of the cylinder insert blades and in combination with theconventional retainment means at the opposite end, the blades are easilyremoved and replaced.

The invention will hereinafter be described in greater ice detail byreference to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken through a portion of the lower needlecylinder showing the cylinder insert blades, forecut blades, and forecutring according to the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion ofthe needle cylinder shown in FIG. 1 showing the relationship of a doubleended latch needle as assembled therein; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view and on an enlarged scale of a cylinderinsert blade utilized to form the guiding channels for the knittinginstrumentalities.

Referring now to the figures of drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 aportion of a needle cylinder generally indicated by numeral 19 and acylinder extension or support 11 attached to the lower end thereof.

Although only the lower cylinder is illustrated in the figures ofdrawing, it should be understood that the invention is applicable to adouble cylinder knitting machine of the links-and-links type and thatthe novel combination of elements shown and described as applied to thiscylinder would be substantially the same for the upper cylinder.

A forecut ring generally indicated by numeral 12 is fixedly attached tothe upper end of the needle cylinder by any suitable means such aswelding as at 13. At the outer and lower portion of the forecut ring adepending circumferential lip 14 is provided which extends about theentire extent of said forecut ring. The outside diameter of this forecutring 12 is equal to that of the cylinder 10 and the lower portion of thecircumferential lip 14 is tapered inwardly and angularly upward toconform to the outer and upper beveled configuration .of the needlecylinder. This circumferential lip 14 is disposed in contiguous relationwith the upper beveled portion of the cylinder and overlies the upperends of equally spaced and longitudinally extending grooves disposedabout the entire outer periphery of the cylinder 10. A portion of asingle groove is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 by numeral 15 and each extendin a radial direction from the outer surface 16 of the cylinder inwardlytoward the longitudinal axis of the cylinder to surface 17 (FIGS. 1 and2) which forms the base of each of said grooves.

Insert blades 18 are assembled in each of the grooves 15 having aportion of each blades width extending outwardly from the cylinder todefine guiding channels therebetween in which the knittinginstrumentalities are guided to perform their intended function.

The upper end of each insert blade 18 is provided with a generallycentrally disposed and downwardly directed V-slot 19 and when inassembled position, provides a slot of mating configuration into whichthe circumferential lip 14 is receivable. The combination of this V-slotin the insert blades 18 and the circumferential lip 14 provide a meansof retaining the upper portion of said blades in operation position, aswell as an uncomplicated and quick means of removing and replacing anyone or more of these blades.

The lower end portion of the insert blades is reduced in width as at 20and utilize any of the known forms of retainment at that end such as bypeening or rolling the wall over.

The upper end of the forecut ring 12 is provided with equally spaced,horizontally disposed and radially extending grooves 21 the outer end ofwhich are in alignment with the cylinder grooves 15. The top portion ofthe sidewalls which define these grooves 21 are each adapted to receivea detachable forecut blade 22 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The outer end portion ofeach forecut blade is in alignment with a cylinder insert blade 18 andas is well known to those conversant with the art serves as a means overwhich stitches are adapted to be drawn. Additionally, the upper end ofeach cylinder insert blade is tapered as at 23 and being disposed inspaced relation to its respective forecut blade 22, provides a guide forthe needles 24 (one only shown in FIG. 2).

In operation, the novel means of retaining the cylinder insert blades inoperation position provides a means whereby they can be quickly andeasily assembled or replaced individually on the needle cylinder withoutdisrupting or removing associated components working in conjunctiontherewith. Additionally, the forecut blades are also easily removed andreplaced and the forecut ring being disposed in close proximity with theneedle cylinder provides a substantially continuous surface on which theknitting instrumentalities are caused to ride.

The forecut ring, being fixedly attached to the needle cylinder,eliminates the conventional hardening operation that was required withneedle cylinders of the prior art, and permits these elements whenassembled together to be finished as a unit. A desired feature of thisform of cylinder and forecut unit is that being able to maintain uniformdimensional standards by means of grinding. This manner of assembly andfinishing lends itself to electro-plating of these elements, therebyproviding a hard and wear resistant surface on which the needles andcooperating jacks are adapted to function.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to beunderstood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number ofways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precisedetails described, but is intended to embrace all variations andmodifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An instrument bed for knitting machines having in combinationknitting instrumentalities, a needle cylinder, longitudinally extendingand equally spaced grooves formed about the entire periphery of saidcylinder, a forecut ring fixedly attached to one end of said needlecylinder, said forecut ring including an edge in contiguous relationwith the grooves of said cylinder defining a circumferential lipextending about the entire extent of the cylinder, horizontally disposedforecut blades removably attached to that end of said forecut ring mostremote from said cylinder, said forecut blades being in alignment withand equal in number to the grooves in said cylinder, insert bladesadapted to be received by each of the grooves in said cylinder andhaving an end configuration cooperating with and adapted to be retainedby said circumferential lip, said insert blades forming channels withinwhich said instrumentalities are caused to reciprocate vertically, theouter diameter of said forecut ring being equal to the outer diameter ofsaid cylinder, the combination of which provides a substantiallycontinuous surface across which said instrumentalities are caused tomove.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said forecut ring includeson that end most remote from said cylinder horizontally disposed andradially extending slots the outer ends of which are in alignment withand equal in number to the grooves in said cylinder.

3. The mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said forecut blades areclampingly attached to each of the side walls defining the slots in saidforecut ring with the outer ends thereof being individual to anddisposed in vertical alignment with each of said insert blades.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,038 5/1896Williams 661 15 1,089,021 3/1914 Swinglehurst 66-l 15 1,869,416 8/1932Green 66-l 15 1,899,278 2/1933 Lawson et al. 66-ll5 2,416,938 3/1947Morgenstern 66ll5 2,508,834 3/1950 Miller 66l 15 MERVIN STEIN, PrimaryExaminer.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN INSTRUMENT BED FOR KNITTING MACHINES HAVING IN COMBINATIONKNITTING INSTRUMENTALITIES, A NEEDLE CYLINDER, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGAND EQUALLY SPACED GROOVES FORMED ABOUT THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY OF SAIDCYLINDER, A FORECUT RING FIXEDLY ATTAWCHED TO ONE END OF SAID NEEDLECYLINDER, SAID FORECUT RING INCLUDING AN EDGE IN CONTIGUOUS RELATIONWITH THE GROOVES OF SAID CYLINDER DEFINING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL LIPEXTENDING ABOUT THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF THE CYLINDER, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSEDFORECUT BLADES REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THAT END OF SAID FORECUT RING MOSTREMOTE FROM SAID CYLINDER, SAID FORECUT BLADES BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITHAND EQUAL IN NUMBER TO THE GROOVES IN SAID CYLINDER, INSERT BLADESADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED BY EACH OF THE GROOVES IN SAID CYLINDER ANDHAVING AN END CONFIGURATION COOPERATING WITH AND ADAPTED TO BE RETAINEDBY SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL LIP, SAID INSERT BLADES FORMING CHANNELS WITHINWHICH SAID INSTRUMENTALITIES ARE CAUSED TO RECIPROCATE VERTICALLY, THEOUTER DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDER, THE COMBINATION OF WHICH OUTER DIAMETEROF SAID CYLINDER, THE COMBINATION OF WHICH PROVIDES A SUBSTANTIALLYCONTINUOUS SURFACE ACROSS WHICH SAID INSTRUMENTALITIES ARE CAUSED TOMOVE.